The D-Day Diet

Tue 5 Dec 2017

Weddings are a big deal pretty much everywhere. Customs and traditions vary from culture to culture, but one thing is constant: the foods you eat (or don’t) can have a significant impact on your health and appearance in the days and weeks leading up to the big days. Check out these five foods to avoid and five to enjoy.

Foods to avoid-

• Salt is a bride’s worst enemy. Though vital to general health, salt promotes water retention and bloating. Cutting out unnecessary sodium from your diet (no more potato chips or olives with your evening drink) will go a long way in keeping you as slim and trim as possible. Just don’t eliminate it from your diet entirely, or you might increase your risk of dizziness and fainting.

• Sugar is another substance that can do absolutely nightmarish things to a bride’s body. The most alarming and worrisome of these side effects is acne. The last thing a bride wants is to suffer from zits and pimples as her wedding approaches... or even worse, to wake up on her big day with a giant, red dot on her nose. Leave out the puddings and sweets to minimise your chances of a breakout.

• Alcohol is another substance you’ll want to cut from your diet, and unlike salt and sugar, this is something you can and should do without entirely. Ethanol consumption has a number of side effects that no bride wants to deal with: queasiness, dehydration, and loss of coordination and reflexes. Along with the beer snacks, cut out the beer itself (and all other wine and spirits, too).

• Spice gives life some variety, but if you happen to be getting married in a few days, it can also give you a wonky digestive tract. Too much chilli powder and pepper can upset your stomach, turmeric powder can stain your fingers and teeth, and even less potent spices can cause problems like body odour and excessive perspiration.

• Dairy tends to cause bloating that’s similar to salt, though not as severe. Heavy consumption also makes one prone to gas and flatulence, especially if lactose intolerance is a factor. Do the sensible thing and stay away from the ice cream until after the big day.

• Onions are notorious for their smell; eating just a few small pieces can give you bad breath for hours and hours, even if you brush and gargle with fierce regularity afterwards. They also affect how much you perspire and can give your sweat a particularly unpleasant note, so steer absolutely clear until you’re hitched and happy.

Foods to enjoy-

• Asparagus is one of the most underrated vegetables. Full of nutrients and extremely low in calories, it’s one of the best natural sources of potassium and phosphorus. But perhaps the best part about it is the low sodium content, which means you can have a generous serving without worrying about bloating or water retention.

• Trail mix is a combination of nuts, dry fruits and chocolate. If you get rid of the third ingredient, you’re left with a hearty snack that’s rich in protein and fibre. Trail mix is easy to carry around, which makes it ideal for the busy weeks leading up to a wedding. Just be careful not to eat too much, because most nuts are high in calories and fat.

• Tea is so good it’s almost miraculous. Black tea is fine, but if you want the greatest benefit without consuming too much caffeine, the green variety is your best friend. Packed with antioxidants that can promote skin and hair health, green tea is a great way to ramp up your metabolism without feeling guilty about having too much.

• Oatmeal is a balanced and nutritious food. Wholesome and filling, it can help you if you’re counting calories or need a quick metabolism boost. It’s also a fantastic ingredient in homemade skin remedies; its abrasive quality can remove dead skin without being too harsh on the layers beneath.

• Fresh fruit is packed with antioxidants, which will supplement your tea intake along with other pre-wedding beauty treatments you may wish to indulge in. Some of the more beneficial varieties are kiwis, apples, watermelons, oranges, pineapples, guavas, grapes and blueberries. Stay away from strawberries and raspberries, which are likely to leave sugary residue between your teeth.

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